3 Areas Texas A&M Needs To Address This Offseason After Loss to Houston

The Texas A&M Aggies had a successful season, reaching the Round of 32. What do they need to address in Bucky McMillan’s second season?

Houston Cougars guard Milos Uzan drives to the hoop past Texas A&M Aggies guard Ali Dibba during the first half of a second-round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Texas A&M had a largely successful season in its first year with head coach Bucky McMillan, advancing to the NCAA Tournament and losing in the Round of 32 to Houston.

A big upset over Saint Mary's in the first round was proof of concept that Bucky Ball can win in the postseason. However, Houston is a perennial contender and showed Texas A&M that it still has room to grow before it can make a deep run in March.

Only one player returned from last season’s roster, and McMillan had to scramble to put together a roster. Heading into the 2026 season, the team can be better shaped to fit McMillan’s system through the transfer portal and recruiting.

Height and Length

Houston Cougars guard Emanuel Sharp drives to the hoop past Texas A&M Aggies forward Jamie Vinson during the first half of a second-round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. | William Purnell-Imagn Images

Big man Jamie Vinson played a big role early in the second-round game against Houston. He played 11 minutes to help match up with Joseph Tugler and Chris Cenac Jr., whose size was a mismatch for the Aggies on offense and defense. However, both he and forward Zach Clemence got into foul trouble.

Texas A&M’s only starter over 6’6” was 6’8” forward Rashaun Agee, who is in his final season of eligibility. When the Aggies needed size, they turned to Vinson and Clemence, both of whom are 6’11”.

Vinson, a sophomore from Texas, can return for his junior season. Clemence is a graduate student in his fourth season but is eligible to return in 2026 after receiving a medical redshirt for his eight-game injury-shortened campaign in 2024.

Mackenzie Mgbako also confirmed that he will return to Texas A&M in 2026 after playing just seven games due to a foot injury. His absence threw a wrench in the Aggies' plans.

Houston dominated Texas A&M on the glass in the Round of 32, with a +15 rebounding margin and 16 offensive rebounds. McMillan and his staff will have to decide whether Mgbako's return can provide the Aggies with the defensive presence and rebounding ability they needed in games against Houston and Florida.

Playmakers and Shot Creators

Texas A&M Aggies guard Josh Holloway drives to the hoop past Houston Cougars forward Chase McCarty during the first half of a second-round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

One of the surprise standouts in the Round of 32 loss to Houston was junior guard Josh Holloway, who had 12 points and was 4-for-6 from the field with two three-pointers. Holloway joined Texas A&M through the transfer portal. He played under McMillan at Samford, and he came off the bench all season for the Aggies.

His scoring punch was critical in a game where the Aggies struggled to create easy offense; this has been the case for much of the season. Texas A&M was one of the worst teams in the country at creating and converting two-point shot attempts.

Guard Marcus Hill (10.6 PPG) could leverage a sixth season after spending his first two seasons at the JUCO level. Pop Isaacs (9.9 PPG) also qualifies for a medical redshirt after suffering a season-ending injury eight games into his 2024 season with Creighton. Rylan Griffen (11.4 PPG) and Jacari Lane (6.3 PPG), meanwhile, are likely out of eligibility.

At times, the Aggies lacked a reliable shot creator to turn to during clutch situations. As well, Lane was the only player to average more than three assists per game. Texas A&M could benefit from adding a player who could initiate the offense, unless someone is ready to step up in 2026.

Go-To Scorer

Texas A&M Aggies forward Rashaun Agee dunks during the first half against the Houston Cougars in a second-round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Between Griffen and Agee, the Aggies are likely to lose their two leading scorers heading into next season. Agee led the team with 14.9 points and 10.1 field goals attempted per game, taking the lead as the Aggies’ go-to scorer.

Agee, a skilled interior scorer with a strong frame and a soft touch, was the team’s most reliable offense. However, he rarely exploded for high-volume games. He had seven games with 20 or more points and one with more than 25.

In his five lowest-scoring games, including his seven-point game against Houston, Texas A&M was 1–4. Finding a replacement as the offensive engine is arguably the most important task for McMillan and his staff to solve — and possibly the most difficult.

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